Hangu Pass

Having broken through to the Sea of Bitterness realm, Jiang Zhu could unlock a second True Spirit Totem in the Demon-Refining Pot, but he had yet to decide which one.

He now had three true spirit bloodlines, but he still needed to weigh his options. If he went to the Kunlun Immortal Land next, he might choose the Plant Totem; perhaps he could even lure out an Immortal Medicine. At the very least, it would help him stay alive in the Kunlun Immortal Land.

With that, it was time to end this cultivation session. Only a little precious blood remained in the Demon-Refining Pot, not enough to break through to the Divine Bridge. He needed to go out and find resources.

Jiang Zhu left his secluded cultivation site and bounded up to Jade Emperor Peak.

The various lineages were still sending over ancient books from time to time. The Crocodile Ancestor was still searching for other terrain maps of the Kunlun Immortal Land.

But his mood grew worse and worse. After all this time, never mind a terrain map—he had not even found any information related to the Immortal Soil.

"Have you discovered something, Daoist brother?" At this point, the Crocodile Ancestor both hoped Jiang Zhu had uncovered the secrets of the Kunlun Immortal Land and hoped he had not, lest he demand a share of the spoils.

The Immortal Soil's secrets were like the moon reflected in water, visible but impossible to scoop out. His anxiety over gain and loss kept gnawing at the Crocodile Ancestor's heart.

Jiang Zhu nodded. "I found in the ancient books that two thousand years ago, there was someone on Earth who stood alongside Sakyamuni..."

"You mean Laozi? Hangu Pass?"

Before Jiang Zhu could finish, the Crocodile Ancestor interrupted him.

He, too, had read accounts of Laozi's Journey West Through Hangu Pass, with purple qi coming from the east for thirty thousand li. But his search for terrain maps had all but become an obsession, and he had paid little attention to the matter.

"Exactly. Hangu Pass is very likely connected to the Ancient Heavenly Court."

The Crocodile Ancestor considered it for a moment, then made his decision. Since he could not find the maps anytime soon, he might as well take a look first.

With a wave of his hand, he released a swarm of little crocodiles, leaving them to guard this place and continue collecting ancient books. Then, with a thought, he brought Jiang Zhu to Hangu Pass.

Hangu Pass was renowned throughout history, the most celebrated mighty pass and fortress in Ancient China. It took its name from its position within a valley, deep and treacherous as an enclosed box.

In days gone by, warhorses had neighed here, and corpses had littered the land. It had once been a battlefield of ultimate consequence, where one man could hold the pass against ten thousand.

Back then, the Six-Nation Coalition had assaulted the pass, only to end with "blood flowing deep enough to float shields, a million corpses strewn upon the ground." Hangu Pass was what Qin had relied upon.

For cultivators, this place held an even more special status. Laozi had ridden an ox westward, purple qi surging from the east for thirty thousand li, before finally departing west through Hangu Pass and leaving behind many secrets of immortality.

For thousands of years, Daoist thinkers and religious practitioners from both home and abroad had come here on pilgrimage to honor their forebears. It had all but become the most revered site of the Daoist Gate!

The ancient city of Hangu Pass in the mortal world had long since vanished. With a wave of his hand, the Crocodile Ancestor opened an ancient road and entered a world enclosed by ancient formations.

Ahead, ribbons of black mist spread through the air, thick with ghostly chill. Bones littered the ground, and ghost fires burned everywhere. Not a trace of radiance graced this world; it was utterly dim.

This was an Ancient Battlefield, filled with the wails of ghosts and howls of spirits. Who knew how many ghostly souls haunted this place? All were the souls of soldiers who had died in battle long ago!

At the far end of the horizon lay a valley, where an enormous city towered. This was the cultivation world's Hangu Pass, illustrious since ancient times!

All kinds of Yin Soldiers and Yin Horses roamed this Ancient Battlefield by the thousands and tens of thousands, with no prospect of reincarnation. Their wails made the scalp prickle. Black mist churned, and vicious ghosts charged out from time to time.

The Crocodile Ancestor snorted coldly. Vast saintly might surged into the heavens, driving all evil back. Every sort of ghost and spectral soul turned to ash, and the entire world abruptly fell silent.

The sound wave continued toward Hangu Pass, carrying his saintly might in a vast, imposing surge. The next instant, it struck Hangu Pass and, like a clay ox entering the sea, vanished without a trace.

Somewhat surprised, the Crocodile Ancestor was about to strike again when he felt his soul tremble, as though some immense terror lurked there.

Jiang Zhu hurriedly spoke up at that moment. "Hold your attack! There are Emperor Formations here, and more than one!"

At those words, the Crocodile Ancestor shuddered in alarm and stopped.

"Are you certain?" His voice was still somewhat subdued.

"Why don't we just see what lies beyond Hangu Pass?" Jiang Zhu said irritably.

A moment ago, he had felt as though he was about to die. People in Shrouding the Heavens were far too reckless! They had to attack everything first and ask questions later.

The ancient sovereigns and Great Emperors were even worse.

If the Road to Immortality opened at the wrong time, they would fight their way into it, slaughter their way to a bright, clear world, and carve out a road to immortality; if it opened at the right time, they would still fight their way in, waging war for ten thousand ages on the road to eternal life. Fight! Fight! Fight!

Having transmigrated only a few days ago, Jiang Zhu still had not adjusted to this way of doing things.

"What brings a Saint here?" A voice came from before Hangu Pass.

This was an ancient greater demon, his bloody radiance as vast as the sea and his magical power towering to the heavens, standing guard before the pass. He was a Dao-Slaying King, stationed here on Guan Yinzi's orders.

Guan Yinzi's name was Yin Xi. He held an exalted position in Daoism and was revered as the Perfected One of the Primordial Beginning. He was directly connected to Daoist legends such as Purple Qi Comes from the East; it was his welcoming Laozi into Hangu Pass that had given rise to those tales.

Upon learning that the two wished to pass through Hangu Pass, this Dao-Slaying greater demon, who had survived since before the Qin era, felt incomparable pressure. He spoke in a heavy voice:

"The road ahead is dangerous. Guan Yinzi ordered me to guard this place partly because he did not want people venturing into danger and losing their lives needlessly."

"This place is extremely important. In every age, a powerful Saint has had to guard it in person. Now that the Age of Declining Dharma has arrived, the sages have long since departed. Otherwise, I would never have been qualified to take their place here."

He then opened the city gates. The ancient city was desolate, quiet, and utterly soundless.

Jiang Zhu and the Crocodile Ancestor also learned an astonishing secret from him: Earth held many astounding ancient formations that could defend it. If powerful enemies from beyond the world wished to invade, their only route was through Hangu Pass.

The city was silent. All its cultivators had left, and it had all but become a dead city, preserving its ancient style and layout.

The streets were old, and magnificent ancient buildings stretched in orderly clusters, but the stillness was somewhat terrifying.

Before long, they reached the center of Hangu Pass, where lifelike divine statues were enshrined. An old man with crane-white hair and a youthful face sat upon a blue ox, transcending the mortal world. Beside him stood a middle-aged man with the bearing of an immortal, his hands lowered as he respectfully accompanied him.

These two divine statues depicted Laozi and Yi Xi.

Not long afterward, they saw a Great Stele anchoring Hangu City. Its might surged to the heavens, and strands of immortal light wreathed it. Its surface was densely inscribed with characters, all divine traces of the Great Dao. Yin Xi had erected it himself to secure this place.

It bore the laws and imprint of a Great Sage. Every strand of immortal light seemed to harbor the aura of the primordial beginning.

At last, they passed through the city and left that lifeless ancient place. The enormous western gate opened, and a brilliant starry sky appeared before their eyes.

Everyone marveled. It was all too wondrous and fantastical: behind them stood a majestic, sprawling ancient city, while ahead lay the boundless stars.

Starlight glittered with limitless brilliance, like a beautiful painting. The stars seemed close enough to touch. The river of stars flowed, spilling down streams of stellar power, peaceful and sacred.

Upon reaching this place, the greater demon king Xuan Chi pointed a finger, and a Five-Colored Altar appeared not far away. It was only a few meters across, not very large, and its stone body shimmered with crystalline light in various colors.

"An ancient road lies here. The sages of old departed along it, one after another. Take care on your journey, Senior. I must remain to guard Hangu Pass, so I bid you farewell."

Seeing that the Crocodile Ancestor had no further requests, he turned and left, soon returning to Hangu Pass.